Research and Development Project Manager

Meet Life Sciences; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Meet Life Sciences seeks two Project Managers (or Senior Project Managers depending on experience) to lead complex R&D programs from business-case through global commercialization.

You will partner across R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Marketing, and Finance to deliver strategic initiatives, manage scope, schedules, budgets, and risks, and drive successful product introductions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Proven track record leading complex, cross-functional projects.
• Experience with new product development and commercialization.
• Strong ownership of project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, risks, and outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder-management and influencing skills.
• Ability to communicate credibly with senior leaders, technical specialists, and commercial teams.
• Strong analytical judgment, planning, organization, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Experience with medical devices, healthcare products, life sciences, or a regulated-product environment is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of design controls, quality systems, or regulated product-development processes is advantageous.
• PMP certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional Core Teams through new product development and commercialization.
• Develop integrated business cases and detailed commercialization plans.
• Translate market and customer requirements into actionable project plans.
• Own project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, risks, and key deliverables.
• Ensure programs comply with applicable product-development and quality-system processes.
• Identify obstacles, evaluate options, and guide teams toward timely decisions.
• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders and functional stakeholders.
• Maintain alignment across technical, commercial, operational, and quality functions.
• Monitor project financials, cost targets, and expected returns.
• Support annual planning activities, including resource and financial requirements.
• Coach Core Team Leaders and colleagues in effective project-management practices.
• Foster a team culture based on innovation, accountability, collaboration, and results.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder-management

Project budgeting

Project scheduling

Communication with senior leaders

Problem solving

PMP certification

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

We are partnering with an established, global healthcare-products organization to appoint two Project Managers within its R&D Project Management Office.

These are highly visible positions leading cross-functional teams through the development and commercialization of innovative medical products. Depending on experience, candidates may be considered at either Project Manager or Senior Project Manager level.

The opportunity

You will lead complex programs through the complete new product and process development lifecycle from business-case development and integrated planning through product launch and global commercialization.

Working across R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Marketing, Finance, and other functions, you will establish clear plans, align stakeholders, resolve development challenges, and maintain accountability for successful delivery.

Key responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional Core Teams through new product development and commercialization


• Develop integrated business cases and detailed commercialization plans


• Translate market and customer requirements into actionable project plans


• Own project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, risks, and key deliverables


• Ensure programs comply with applicable product-development and quality-system processes


• Identify obstacles, evaluate options, and guide teams toward timely decisions


• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders and functional stakeholders


• Maintain alignment across technical, commercial, operational, and quality functions


• Monitor project financials, cost targets, and expected returns


• Support annual planning activities, including resource and financial requirements


• Coach Core Team Leaders and colleagues in effective project-management practices


• Foster a team culture based on innovation, accountability, collaboration, and results

Candidate profile

• Bachelor’s degree with approximately 5–8+ years of relevant experience


• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional projects in a matrixed organization


• Experience with new product development and commercialization


• Strong ownership of project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, risks, and outcomes


• Excellent stakeholder-management and influencing skills


• Ability to communicate credibly with senior leaders, technical specialists, and commercial teams


• Strong analytical judgment, planning, organization, and decision-making skills


• Ability to balance competing priorities and adapt to changing business needs


• Experience with medical devices, healthcare products, life sciences, or another regulated-product environment is strongly preferred


• Knowledge of design controls, quality systems, or regulated product-development processes is advantageous


• PMP certification is preferred

Why consider this opportunity?

This is an opportunity to lead meaningful product-development programs whose outcomes directly affect patients and healthcare professionals.

The successful candidate will have significant ownership and visibility. This is not a coordination-only position: you will lead the Core Team, shape the project strategy, influence resource decisions, resolve complex challenges, and guide products toward successful commercialization.